Blanket tie-down and receptacle rest



Aug. 11, 1959 A. J. PARKER 2,899,153

BLANKET TIE-DOWN AND RECEPTACLE REST Filed Nov. 24. 1958 INVENTOR.

ALLEN d. PARKER.

Q 5 A rraR/VEY United States Patent BLANKET TIE-DOWN AND RECEPTACLE REST Allen J. Parker, Lake Worth, Fla.

Application November 24, 1958, Serial No. 775,873

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-1) This invention relates to a blanket tie-down device for use in beach areas or the like whereby to hold the corners of a blanket against blowing away by the wind and comprises a novel ground stake to be disposed at the corners of the blanket and whereby the corners of the blanket may be anchored against movement. The invention further contemplates a novel form of blanket tie-down device that is stamped from a single sheet of relatively light weight metal and shaped to form a ground stake and a flat head plate and with the head plate being extended and provided with a key-hole opening through which the corner of the blanket is engaged and with the head plate being further provided with spaced apart tabs that permits the head plate to additionally function as a support for a bottle or glass.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

*Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof and,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a flat head plate that is extended at one side into a generally forwardly tapering extension 6 and with the extension 6 apertured to form a key-hole opening 7. The head plate 5 is provided with circumferentially and equidistantly spaced tabs 8, that are struck upwardly and with their ends being rounded and bent downwardly as at 9, avoiding any sharp corners. Also stamped integrally with the plate 5, is a ground stake 10, being triangular in cross-section to impart rigidity to the stake and with the lower end being pointed at 11 to facilitate the forcing of the stake into the ground. The head plate may be formed of a diameter whereby the marginal tabs may constitute a suitable socket for the lower end of a conventional soft drink bottle or the like and it is contemplated that the entire device shall be formed of a relatively light gauge aluminum that has a high resistance to rust or corrosion since the device will be frequently employed in those areas where salt spray from the ocean or the like would shorten the life of similar devices formed of other types of metal. The device may also be formed of plastic, if so desired.

In the use of the device, the blanket is usually spread upon the beach and weights were heretofore customarily employed to hold the blanket down against displacement by the wind. With the device of this invention, the operator forces the ground stake '10 downwardly into the sand adjacent each corner of the blanket and, with ice the stake in position to a point where the plate 5 is slightly spaced above the sand or ground, the corner of the blanket is pulled upwardly through the relatively large aperture 7 and then shifted into the relatively narrow slot 7a of the key-hole opening. This action is repeated at each corner of the blanket and after the corner of the blanket has been anchored, the head plate is then forced downwardly until the device lies substantially flat upon the ground. The head plate may then be used as a socket or rest for bottles or the like to hold them against tipping. The device is quickly and easily removed by first removing the blanket from the keyhole slot and then pulling the head plate and the stake upwardly to release it from the ground.

The device is novel in construction and is most effective as a hold-down for the corners of a blanket. This device is cheap to manufacture, since it can be quickly and easily stamped from sheet metal and functions in a high degree of success for the purpose indicated.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A combined blanket tie-down device and a receptacle rest formed from a single section of material, the device embodying a head plate and an integral right angle ground stake projecting therefrom, the said head plate being apertured for the reception of a corner of a blanket to be anchored, the said stake adapted to be forced into the ground to the point where the head plate is in contact with the surface of the ground and means formed upon the head plate whereby to receive and grip a receptacle supported thereon against accidental tilting.

2. A combined blanket tie-down device and support for a receptacle that is formed from a single sheet of metal, the device embodying a head plate and an integral non-cylindrical ground stake, the ground stake adapted to be forced into the ground to cause the head plate to rest upon the surface, the head plate being provided with a key hole opening for the reception of a corner of a blanket to be anchored upon the ground, the key hole opening also forming a wedge against displacement of the blanket and upstanding yieldable means formed upon the plate at equidistantly spaced points for receiving a cylindrical receptacle to be supported upon the plate against tilting movement.

3. A combined blanket tie-down device and receptacle support that is stamped from a flat sheet of metal, the device embodying circular head plate having a forwardly extending tapered extension, the said extension being apertured to form a key hole opening for the wedging reception of a blanket corner to be anchored, a ground stake formed integral with the head plate and bent at a right angle thereto, the ground stake being triangular in cross-section and a plurality of upwardly extending yieldable tabs formed upon the plate at equidistantly spaced points throughout its marginal edge, the said tabs adapted to frictionally receive a cylindrical receptacle such as a bottle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,647,718 Disera Aug. 4, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 279,132 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1952 

